Podcast Summary: Going West: True Crime

Episode 532: The Jack Family Disappearance
Release Date: August 26, 2025
Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman

Episode Overview

Daphne and Heath delve into the haunting 1989 disappearance of the Jack family from Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. What begins as a desperate search for employment ends in a chilling, unresolved mystery involving two Indigenous parents and their young children. The episode explores historical trauma, investigative missteps, and a compelling suspect whose dark history mirrors the circumstances of the case. The hosts emphasize the desperate need for wider attention and justice, particularly given the Jack family’s Indigenous heritage and the case’s connection to Canada's broader epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and families.

Key Discussion Points & Timeline

1. Why This Case, and Why Now?

• Motivation for Covering: The hosts usually reserve unsolved or international cases for their bonus series, but felt this case needed more exposure due to its disturbing details and underreported status.
• “After diving into this one, we knew we had to cover it here because this story needs way more attention and it is freaking wild.” (Daphne, 02:16)

2. Background: The Jack Family’s History

• Doreen Jack: Born into the Cheslatta Carrier Nation, endured childhood trauma: maternal abandonment and severe abuse by her father, including being left outside and exposure to men who abused her and her sisters.

  • “Their dad was physically abusive as a result of his alcoholism… would allow these men to sexually abuse his daughters.” (Daphne, 04:37)

• Residential School Trauma: Doreen and her sisters sent to Lejac Residential School, part of Canada’s legacy of cultural genocide against Indigenous peoples.

  • “For more than 100 years, the Canadian government supported residential school programs that isolated Indigenous children from their families and communities.” (Daphne, 06:39)

• Doreen’s Teenage Years: Experienced further sexual violence at her Catholic boarding school leading to pregnancy.

• Ronnie Jack: Also of Cheslatta Carrier Nation, more limited documentation on childhood, but shared similar social hardships.

• Forming a Family: Doreen and Ronnie, both with difficult upbringings, build a small family (Russell and Ryan) together, striving for stability.

3. Financial Hardship & Vulnerability

• Work Injuries and Poverty: Ronnie injured his back and lost his sawmill job. The family struggled, relying on welfare and even resorting to minor theft for basic needs.
• Relocation: Moved to Prince George for better job opportunities, but conditions remained desperate, making them vulnerable.
  • “Desperation for employment outweighed caution…” (Daphne, 03:09)

4. The Disappearance – Critical Events

Meeting the Stranger (15:42–19:58)

• August 1, 1989: Ronnie visits the First Litre Pub. A bearded, red-haired man offers Ronnie and Doreen jobs at a logging camp near Klukes Lake and assures them of housing and daycare for their kids. The man offers to drive them that night.
  • “Hey, I got two jobs for you and daycare and a place to live and hey, let's go in a couple of hours.” (Daphne, 19:15)
• Warnings and Last Words: Ronnie telephones his brother and mother with details of the plan:
  • “If you don’t hear from me, come looking… If I don’t come back, look for me between Vanderhoof and Klukes Lake.” (Daphne, 21:32)
  • This is the last verified communication from the family.

Getting in the Truck (24:13–26:39)

• Witness: A neighbor sees all four family members get into a dark 4x4 pickup truck with the man after midnight, August 2, 1989.
• Description of the Stranger:
  • Caucasian male, late 30s, long reddish hair, full beard, ball cap, red plaid shirt, blue jacket, jeans, leather boots, 6’0”–6’6”, 200–275 lbs.
  • “Basically the Paul Bunyan style... that's a lumberjack right there.” (Heath & Daphne, 24:13)

Aftermath and Failed Investigation (27:09–31:58)

• Family Never Returns: Three weeks later, with no word, Ronnie’s mother reports the disappearance.
• RCMP Response: Lackluster—searches reveal no trace, and police falsely report the family as "found" on Sept. 7, 1989, then retract it.
  • “Completely unacceptable that it was falsely reported and really makes one question the intentions of the RCMP when it comes to indigenous cases.” (Daphne, 30:58)
• Composite Sketch Released in 1990: Creepy depiction of the stranger based on two witness accounts, but yields no leads.

5. The 1996 Anonymous Tip & Lingering Mysteries

• The Phone Call (32:01–40:34):
  • An anonymous male calls RCMP: “The Jack family are buried in the south end of [blank] Ranch.” (36:40)
  • Audio quality makes the ranch name indecipherable; theories include “Gordy’s Ranch.”
  • Police traced the call to a house where a party was ongoing, but no suspect identified.
• Unreleased Audio: Hosts express frustration that authorities never made the call's audio public, possibly impeding tips.
  • “Why are they not releasing this? I don’t get it.” (Daphne, 37:26)

6. Context: Highway of Tears & Indigenous Disappearances (41:12–44:44)

• Location Connection: The family likely traveled along Highway 16—known as the Highway of Tears, infamous for disappearances and murders of mostly Indigenous women and girls.
• MMIWG Movement: Doreen’s sister Marlene has advocated for her family and spoken at national inquiries regarding missing and murdered Indigenous women.

7. Botched Media & Police Relations (44:44–46:02)

• Marlene Jack’s Testimony:
  • Police reportedly told her not to speak to media or they would withhold updates.
  • “She was told by police that if she spoke to the media about her sister and her sister's family disappearance, that they would withhold updates…” (Daphne, 44:44)
• Impact: Lack of coverage and official transparency likely impeded the investigation and public pressure.

8. The Main Suspect: Pat Carson (46:02–56:07)

• Carson’s Profile:
  • Alleged Alberta “ranch scammer”; uses aliases, registered sex offender with convictions for luring young people to his property under false job offers, then abusing them.
  • “Lured young adult victims by placing newspaper advertisements to work at his ranch… choked to overcome resistance.” (Daphne, 46:16)
• Similar M.O. to Jack Disappearance:
  • Offers jobs, housing, and other perks; matches physical description.
  • Alleged connections to other disappearances on the Highway of Tears, including Amber Tuccaro (voice on her final call said to sound like Carson).
• Online Forums and First-Person Accounts:
  • Numerous testimonials from women recounting sexual harassment and violence on his property.
  • “He spent a lot of time talking about my body, how much I weighed... He talked about the naturalness of nudity a lot.” (Heath, 50:22)

9. Unanswered Questions & Theories

• Lingering Doubts:

  • Did Ronnie’s debt play a role?
  • Was the logging job ruse part of a predatory pattern?

• Why abduct the whole family?

  • Possible opportunistic spree, or a failed attempt at recruitment for a commune.

• Was there organized involvement? Was it isolated?

  • “Was it this one person who did this, or was this more so an operation? Was there really a farm? Was the whole thing a ruse?” (Daphne, 59:41)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Daphne (on the family’s vulnerability):
  “For many years, they were not able to afford basic needs. Like Doreen had to reportedly steal a bottle of cough medicine for her kids at one point because she did not have the money to buy any.” (13:18)

• Heath (on the police’s false report):
  “So obviously you didn’t fucking find them.” (30:55)

• Daphne (on police/media relations):
  “It is completely unacceptable that it was falsely reported and really makes one question the intentions of the RCMP when it comes to indigenous cases.” (30:55)

• Daphne (on online rumors about Carson):
  “There are so many people that have a lot of creepy things to say about him… like, went to go meet up with somebody. So this person used the opportunity to go into his bedroom and he had, like, a shrine of a Japanese girl…” (51:59)

• Heath (on the most likely scenario):
  “Whoever was driving that truck is, in fact, responsible for the Jack family’s disappearances… that person in my mind, has to be responsible.” (59:17)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:01–01:30 | Ads & Podcast Start
01:30–02:23 | Why Cover This Case
03:02–08:00 | Doreen’s Early Life & Trauma
11:02–13:11 | Ronnie’s Background / Family Unit
13:17–15:42 | Financial Hardship
15:42–22:10 | Meeting the Stranger; Decision to leave
24:13–26:39 | Description of the man and the departure
27:09–31:58 | Disappearance, Police Response, and Composite
32:01–40:34 | The 1996 Anonymous Tip
41:12–44:44 | Highway of Tears Context / MMIWG
46:02–56:07 | Suspect: Pat Carson's Background & Allegations
56:07–End | Current Status, Open Questions, and Call for Tips

Conclusion & Call to Action

The disappearance of the Jack family remains unsolved, with decades lost to ineffective policing and lack of media coverage—an all-too-common reality for missing Indigenous families in Canada. The case highlights broader social failures and raises dark questions about how many similar stories remain hidden in the shadows. The episode ends with a call for anyone with information to contact the Prince George RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

Contact Information:

• Prince George RCMP: 250-561-3300
• Crime Stoppers (anon): 1-800-222-8477 / pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca

Key Takeaway:
If you haven’t heard of the Jack family before, their story typifies both the heartbreak and the continued fight for justice facing Indigenous peoples in Canada. Widespread awareness may yet be the tool to pressure authorities and bring resolution.

[Episode ends with hosts encouraging listeners to share the custom missing poster on social media to continue bringing visibility to the Jack family’s story.]